>>712441680Nier: Automata, which shares the post-apocalyptic setting of Nier, takes place thousands of years after the original game's events.[12][13] The Nier fictional universe exists in an alternative timeline within the Drakengard series.[12] While carrying over the Drakengard tradition of a dark atmosphere and branching storylines, there is no direct narrative connection between Nier: Automata and the rest of the series.[12][14][15] The story is set in 11945 AD, and revolves around a proxy war between the human-made androids and an invading army of alien-made Machines.[16][17] Though they are prohibited from having emotions and lack true names, each android has a distinct personality.[16][17][18] The "YoRHa" android forces are commanded from the Bunker, a reconnaissance base that orbits Earth. Fending off the Machines, the YoRHa forces fight alongside pre-YoRHa Earth androids known as the Resistance.[19]
The game's initial protagonist is 2B (short for "YoRHa No. 2 Type B"), a YoRHa combat android whose main traits are her calm and composure.[16][17][18] 2B is accompanied by 9S (short for YoRHa No.9 Type S), a male "scanner" reconnaissance android who displays more emotion than other YoRHa units. The game later introduces another player character named A2, an obsolete attack android who often acts alone.[18] The androids are supported by Pod 042 and Pod 153, floating, box-like robots that act as ranged weapons.[13][19] The game's primary antagonists are Adam and Eve, twin controllers of the Machine Network; and the Red Girls, a construct within the Machine Network. Other characters include the Commander, YoRHa's top officer; the resistance leader Anemone; Pascal, a machine who dislikes conflict and wishes for peace; Devola and Popola, early androids who suffer discrimination from the actions of their model series; and the original Nier character Emil, who has lost his memories in the intervening years after the original game.[5][13][19]